1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and in particular, to an image processing apparatus including a setting table on which both contact and non-contact type card readers are arranged keeping their operationality.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
A scanner, a printer, a copier, and a facsimile or the like is known as an image processing apparatus that handles image data of an image or a document.
Such an image processing apparatus serves as a terminal on the network, recently.
When operating as such a terminal, the image processing apparatus reads a visual image and obtains and transmits image data to a prescribed personal computer on the network. Upon receiving from a personal computer, an image processing apparatus prints out the image data in a state of a visual image. Beside originally included image processing functions, such as image reading, image printing etc., the image processing apparatus includes a different information processing function, such as transmission of a document via email, etc.
Such an image processing apparatus includes a processing unit for image processing private use (i.e., an image processing unit), and a general-purpose information processing unit. An operation of the information processing unit is controlled by a general-purpose operating system (OS), for example, and executes functions of the different category.
The above-mentioned different function includes not only the image processing function on the general purpose OS, but also an inspection function to inspect published or non-published information connected to the network and a transmission function to transmit those information. Also included is an accessing function to access a card type external storage media of either a contact or non-contact type (hereinafter, simply referred to as a contact or non-contact type card) as described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-356822.
As an image processing unit having the accessing function, a contact type IC card installation apparatus that includes a plurality of slot mechanisms capable of detachably installing an IC card (one example of the contact type card) is exemplified as described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 06-35566.
As described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 06-35566, since the IC card slot is arranged below the rear side of a keyboard, the keyboard is arranged above the IC card slot as a result.
Further, since the non-contact type IC card reader executes data communications with an antenna built in the non-contact type IC card using electromagnetic wave, a desired communication function cannot be exerted when a substrate, such as a keyboard, or a metal is arranged adjacent to the non-contact type IC card reader. As a result, data communication with an IC card is likely interrupted.
Further, admitting that the apparatus can be downsized and thinned when the IC card slot is arranged below the backside, an inserting performance of the contact type IC card, etc., likely decreases.